ander's ear, "I fetched up this un; I
know'd ye'd want it for 'er."

Tommy had thoughtfully carried up one of Bax's spare coats, and now
handed it to his master, who, assisted by Mr Burton, wrapped it
carefully round Lucy, and then descended the rigging to examine the
state of the vessel.

She heeled very much over to leeward, but the form of the bank on which
she lay fortunately prevented her being thrown altogether on her
beam-ends. Had this happened, the cross-trees would have been buried in
water, and all must have perished.

When Bax re-ascended the mast, Bluenose put his mouth close to his ear
and shouted:

"Couldn't ye send up a rocket?"

"Han't got any," replied Bax.

There had been a signal-gun aboard, but at the first shock it tore its
fastenings out of the old planks, and went crashing through the lee
bulwarks into the sea.

"Couldn't we get up a glim no-how?" pursued Bluenose. "Ay, couldn't
that be done?" cried Guy, who clambered towards them in order to take
part in the consultation, for the shrieking of the storm rendered every
voice inaudible at the distance of anything more than an inch or two
from the ear.

"The matches were in the cabin, and that's flooded now," said Bax.

Guy replied by taking a tin box from his pocket, in which were a few
matches.

"Ha! that'll do," cried Bax eagerly, "there's a can of turpentine just
under the fore-hatch, which can't have been damaged by water. I'll go
and fetch it."

"Stay, _I_ will go. Do you look after Lucy and her father," said Guy;
and, without waiting for a reply, he slid down one of the back-stays and
gained the deck.

To traverse this was an act involving great danger and difficulty. The
waves broke over it with such force that Guy's arms were nearly torn out
of their sockets while he held to the bulwarks. He attained his object,
however, and in a short time returned to the cross-trees with the can.
Bax had in the meantime cut off some of the drier portions of his
clothing. These, with a piece of untwisted rope, were soaked in
turpentine, and converted hastily into a rude torch; but it was long
before a light could be got in such a storm. The matches were nearly
exhausted before this was accomplished. Only those who have been in
similar circumstances can adequately appreciate the intense earnestness
with which each match was struck, the care with which it was guarded
from the wind, and the eager anxiety with which the result was wat